Deliveries
by Victoria Quynn
Summary: The boys get more than they bargained for during a stage trip. An oldie from the vault.


Deliveries

_We said there warn't no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft. _Mark Twain, _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_

"You ready?"

Snore …

"Thaddeus, wake up. Time to go."

"Huh?"

"Come on, let's go."

Jed "Kid" Curry yawned. He blinked at his partner in the bright sunlight of a picture perfect day, sat up straighter, sighed. "Another stage? Seems the only thing we DO these days is ride stages. They're too cramped. Why can't we just get a couple horses and ride?"

Hannibal Heyes raised an eyebrow. "We're not going over that again. Quit complaining. I felt sorry for you and let you rest while I've been off delivering the message – even though that went against Colonel Harper's orders. I'm the one who should be tired. It took a while to find the guy, and I had to make excuses to him why there weren't two of us. And now he has a reply for the Colonel, so let's get it back to him."

Kid stood, stretching and yawning mightily. "You'd think they could do all that messagin' by telegraph. Seems a waste of time and money to have two men roamin' all over this God-forsakin' country doin' nothin' but sittin' on uncomfortable stages and waitin' room benches, and not sittin' down to a proper meal or sleepin' more than a few hours a night in whatever they call a bed in some relay station somewhere. It's even more back-breakin' than roundin' up cows! I don't think my backside can take too much more of this."

"Or your disposition, I suppose! Glad you decided to come up for air!"

"Dispo … For air? What the heck are ya talkin' about, Joshua?"

"Never mind. As long as the Colonel's paying us as good as he is, we'll do what we have to do."

"But it don't make sense!"

"Maybe it don't. But he's paying, and whatever he wants done, as long as it's on the right side of the law, we're gonna do it."

"I know …"

Hannibal Heyes clamped a hand on his partner's shoulder. "So what's really eating ya?"

Blue and brown eyes met. Curry sighed. "I don't know. Two weeks of this … Guess it's gettin' to me. Why the TWO of us to deliver messages and small boxes?"

Heyes gave the blond man's shoulder an affectionate squeeze and smiled. "We've been through that, too. Never know what those messages and little boxes might contain. Must be valuable enough if he's insisting on both of us doing the job."

Curry rolled his eyes. "I suppose. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if everything wasn't so cramped. Pretty days, like a pretty girl's smile, and we're just spendin' them lookin' out a window while we get bumped to kingdom come. This route has the worst roads! Couldn't we take just one day off?"

"You know the answer to that, too. Until this job is ..."

"Done. I know." Sigh. "Okay, I'm sorry. Was just dreamin' how we used to raft down the river when we were kids."

Heyes smiled. "That was fun."

"Yeah. Free and easy. No cares in the world …"

"And now the weight of the world's on your shoulders?"

"No, not exactly. But, somethin'… Feel like I need somethin' different."

"Well, yeah." Heyes chuckled. "Somethin' other than riding cramped stagecoaches and waiting around for replies between those two."

Kid smirked. "So it's gettin' to you, too?"

"Maybe."

"Aw, come on, Joshua! Maybe what we're needin' is somethin' different."

"Different?"

"Yeah. Maybe a different kind of experience."

Heyes' brow furrowed. "An experience? We had enough experiences minding a gang to last a lifetime."

Kid's eyes sparkled. "Somethin' I heard somewhere once – a real, honest-to-goodness, authentic experience. Somethin' to break the monotony."

"LAST CALL! ALL ABOARD!"

Heyes quickly grabbed two sets of saddlebags and bedrolls from the bench, thrusting one of each into Curry's arms. "Let's go. We can break the monotony another time."

~~oo00oo~~

The two ex-outlaws scrambled onto the stagecoach and took the bench facing backwards. Opposite them sat two women – one middle-aged and prim, the other younger and heavy with child. Heyes and Kid tipped their hats in introduction.

"Ma'am."

"Ma'am."

The older woman nodded with a brief smile, while the younger barely acknowledged them.

Heyes took the initiative. "Might as well get acquainted since we'll be together a couple days. I'm Joshua Smith and this here's my partner, Thaddeus Jones."

The elder of the two females spoke pleasantly, acknowledging each in turn. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones. I am Miss Ellen Butler, and next to me is Mrs. Lorelei Stone."

The younger woman turned to her fellow passengers. "That's Mrs. JACKSON Stone."

Miss Butler raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry. You told me to address you as Lorelei …"

"That's quite all right, Ellen. It's the two gentlemen to whom I want to impart the message."

Heyes smiled and tipped his hat in the younger woman's direction. "Mrs. Stone. And Lorelei is a beautiful name. Mr. Twain mentions it in his most recent book."

Mrs. Stone softened momentarily. "Thank you, Mr. Smith. And is that so? Actually, my father is a professor of literature, and I was named after the poem."

"Really? Mr. Twain just published the poem."

The softness faded. "Mr. Twain did not WRITE the poem, Mr. Smith. Perhaps he translated it from the original German."

"German? Well, I guess I won't be reading that."

Bluntly, "I'm sure you won't."

Heyes raised an eyebrow.

They rode in silence for a half hour or so before Mrs. Stone took a sharp intake of breath and put her hand on her abdomen.

Kid leaned forward. "Ma'am?"

Her eyes closed for a few seconds as she regulated her breathing.

"Are you all right, ma'am?"

Opening her eyes, she regarded the blond cowboy indignantly. "Quite. Thank you."

Miss Butler spoke sternly. "Now, Lorelei, there is no need to be so brusque. Mr. Jones was just inquiring as to your comfort."

The younger woman sighed. She addressed Kid, less abruptly. "Thank you, Mr. Jones, but I assure you there is no need to worry about me."

"Ma'am, you sure are brave to be travelin' in your condition."

"Why, Mr. Jones, what condition is that? Women have babies all the time."

Kid smiled sheepishly. "No offense, ma'am. Just thought you might want somethin' more comfortable than a stagecoach ride at this time of your …"

"PREGNANCY, Mr. Jones?"

The blond ex-outlaw turned two shades of crimson. "I'm, I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Mr. Jones, there is no need to apologize."

"Ma'am, I … well, I …"

"No need to stammer, either, Mr. Jones … Just say what it is you want to say. You obviously think me stupid or at best unwise to be traveling when I should be in my confinement."

Curry sighed. Perhaps it wasn't the best of manners to ask a young lady about her – delicate condition. He could feel all eyes on him. Gulping, he glanced briefly at the ladies then longer at Heyes before turning to the window.

Heyes spoke. "Mrs. Stone, my friend here was just trying to be polite."

Miss Butler added, "Indeed!"

With pursed lips, Lorelei took in both for a few moments, as if mulling something over. She then regarded Kid. "Mr. Jones, thank you for your concern."

Curry acknowledged her and nodded.

"I suppose I do owe you all an explanation. My husband is a cavalry officer. He was supposed to change posts to be closer to home, but his orders were changed at the last moment, and he is now assigned to Fort Keogh. I'm going to join him so we can be together when the baby comes."

Heyes noted, "Mrs. Stone, that's an awful long way to go at this time of …"

"I KNOW that, Mr. Smith. But the Army wouldn't wait."

"Yes, ma'am."

They rode in slightly more companionable silence for the next several hours. All four busied themselves looking out the window and nodded off to sleep for varying lengths of time, their bodies somewhat used to the rough ride but jostled awake by a larger bump here, a crushing rut there. Finally, the coach stopped at a relay station and the travelers alighted and stretched. Heyes took the opportunity to remove a book from his saddlebags, and when underway on a smoother stretch of road, started to read to himself.

Mrs. Jackson Stone could not help herself. "Excuse me, Mr. Smith, but might I ask what it is in which you find yourself so absorbed?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's Mr. Twain's latest book. He's talking about his travels in Europe."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Miss Butler's eyes sparkled. "Mr. Smith, perhaps we can prevail upon you to read out loud to help pass the time?"

Heyes grinned. "That's a splendid idea, Miss Butler! If you ladies don't mind me droning on? Mr. Jones is used to it." At that, the partners' eyes met. Kid rolled his; Heyes chuckled.

The older woman responded, "Not at all, Mr. Smith. I do believe it will be quite enjoyable."

Heyes thumbed through the book. "All right. Let's see … Ah, the poem we spoke of earlier …

'An ancient legend of the Rhine  
I cannot divine what it meaneth,  
This haunting nameless pain:  
A tale of the bygone ages  
Keeps brooding through my brain:  
The loveliest maiden is sitting  
High-throned in yon blue air,  
Her golden jewels are shining,  
She combs her golden hair.  
The doomed in his drifting shallop,  
Is tranced with the sad sweet tone,  
He sees not the yawing breakers,  
He sees but the maid alone:  
The faint air cools in the gloaming,  
And peaceful flows the Rhine,  
The thirty summits are drinking  
The sunset's flooding wine;  
She combs with comb that is golden,  
And sings a weird refrain  
That steeps in a deadly enchantment  
The listener's ravished brain:  
The pitiless billows engulf him!-  
So perish sailor and bark;  
And this, with her baleful singing,  
Is the Lorelei's gruesome work.'"*

Heyes finished and put down the volume. "Well, perhaps not the happiest poem …"

"Haunting, certainly," Miss Butler critiqued.

"I'm sure it's better in German," Lorelei noted.

"German? Don't make much sense in English!" Kid sighed.

Heyes regarded the ladies. "I'm afraid my partner here doesn't appreciate the classics."

"Oh, I don't know about that, Mr. Smith. I'm sure Mr. Jones makes his own poetry in some way." Lorelei set her eyes on Curry.

Sheepish once again, the blond cowboy ran a finger under his bandana and gulped. "Kinda warm in here, isn't it, Joshua?"

"Just keep your hands out of the oven and you'll be fine, Thaddeus," Heyes advised.

Flushing yet again, Kid shot a look at Heyes before turning to the window.

A sudden lurch interrupted the uncomfortable silence. All four passengers registered surprise.

"Must have been some rut!"

"Indeed, Mr. Smith." Miss Butler smoothed her recently disarrayed skirt.

"Ma'am, I …"

Heyes stopped in mid-sentence as another sudden jolt rocked the coach. All were thrown in a heap to the space between the seats. The partners helped the women back onto their bench. They were barely in place when another violent jerk, and another, and another, flipped the vehicle. It rolled for what seemed a long time. As quickly as it had started – it stopped.

~~oo00oo~~

Kid Curry found himself on the ground, thrown clear of the debris. Grimacing as he slowly picked himself up, he looked around. The stagecoach surprisingly lay in one piece on its side thirty feet in front of him.

He limped to the driver, who lay sprawled face down. Rolling him over, Kid placed a hand on his chest and quickly examined him. Next, he painfully strode to the coach. Moans emanated from it.

"Joshua? Ladies? You all right?"

"Ohh! Ohh!"

Heyes responded, his voice tight. "I'm all right – I think."

"Ohhh!"

"See to the ladies!"

"Ohhh!"

Kid peered inside. "Miss Butler?"

Her voice was steady, not quite hiding the pain, "Bruises, perhaps, and I think my arm is broken. Lorelei?"

"Ohhh!"

"Mr. Jones, you'll have to tend to Mrs. Stone."

"Huh?!"

Heyes managed to pull himself through a window. "Argh!"

Kid eyed him quickly. "What is it?"

"My hand?"

"Right or left?"

"Left. Let's get the women out. How's the driver?"

"Ohh!"

"Alive. Over there." Kid nodded in the other direction.

"Ohhh!"

Heyes tried to reassure Lorelei. "Hold on, Mrs. Stone, we'll get ya out of here as soon as we can."

Maneuvering the door, the partners pulled Miss Butler out. The older woman groaned as her fractured arm hit the ground hard. She quickly recovered and took charge.

"Gentlemen, please get her out. I think the baby is coming."

"Ohhh! Ohhh!"

Struggling for several long minutes, the men ignored their own injuries to pull the door off. With clearance, they finally extricated Mrs. Stone from the vehicle. Rummaging through Miss Butler's trunk at her direction, Kid spread several dresses on the ground. With much effort, he and a one-handed Heyes managed to get the expectant woman on them. The blond ex-outlaw also set aside some petticoats and whatever other useful items he found.

The pregnant woman's cries grew louder, with more pleading. "Ohhh! Ohhh! Help me! PLEASE help me!"

Miss Butler directed calmly. "Mr. Smith, please see to the driver as best you can. Mr. Jones, stay here please with us. You'll have to deliver the baby."

"De-de-deliver a BABY?! A message, maybe ... But ... ma'am, I, I, I don't know the …"

"I'll walk you through it, Mr. Jones. You're the only one of us with two hands that are unhurt."

Heyes cupped Kid's shoulder as he got up. "You can do this."

Curry's eyes widened. "Hey, Hey … I don't …"

Heyes looked his partner square in the eye. He spoke reassuringly, "Calm down. You'll do fine."

Blue eyes locked on to brown. Kid took a deep breath.

Heyes squeezed his partner's shoulder. "Okay?"

Curry nodded.

Heyes went to tend to the driver. Kid turned to the women.

"Now, Mr. Jones …"

~~oo00oo~~

"I've said it already, but you were all very lucky. I've seen stage wrecks where there were no survivors."

Four passengers regarded the sheriff. He and the doctor joined the others at Lorelei's bedside in the medical office.

Her right arm in a splint and sling, Miss Butler spoke, "I'm sure we all appreciate that, Sheriff, and whether Providence or blind luck, we owe a lot to Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones here. Without them, we and the poor driver might not be here, or at least in the fairly good shape we're in."

Lorelei smiled at the swaddled, sleeping bundle cradled safely in her arms. "Yes, especially to Mr. Jones."

Kid flushed slightly. "Aw, ma'am, my partner can tell ya I'm just good at followin' directions. It was all Miss Butler's doin'. If she hadn't've talked me through it, I wouldn't've known where to start."

Heyes agreed. "Thaddeus is telling the truth, ma'am. But I have to admit that son of yours is probably the best thing ever to come of his taking orders – I mean, following directions – so well."

The doctor chimed in. "Mr. Jones, you did a fine job. Couldn't have done any better had I delivered that baby myself."

Downright embarrassed at being the center of attention, Curry grimaced as he stood, limping to the bedside. "He's a good lookin' young fella. Sturdy, too. Too bad your husband couldn't be there when he was born, like you wanted."

The new mother sighed. "Yes, but under the circumstances, there wasn't much we could do about that. He is on his way, though, and I want to thank you both, and Ellen. I'm sorry for the way I behaved early on. You just never know who you can trust."

Kid smiled. "Don't worry about it, ma'am. I'm just glad everything worked out all right."

Lorelei regarded Kid. "We planned to name the baby after our fathers – James Philip. But now he'll be James Philip Thaddeus Stone. We'll tell him the story of the man who brought him into the world – his honorary uncle – when he's able to understand. "

"Aw, ma'am, that's quite an honor. Thank you."

~~oo00oo~~

Just as he finished checking out of the hotel, Hannibal Heyes looked up to see Kid Curry enter the lobby, limping less noticeably. His left hand bandaged, the dark-haired man struggled with his saddlebags and bedroll.

Curry said, "Hold on, partner. I got those."

"Thanks. What'd the Colonel say?"

"About what you'd expect. Get there as soon as we can. He's anxious to get the message. Told him we'd be back on the stage later today."

As they slowly left the hotel, Heyes chuckled. "No rest for the weary – or the injured – huh, Thaddeus? Might be nice to take a day or two off."

Curry smiled. "Just had time off. Recuperatin' time, maybe, but gotta get back to work while the job's still there. When this one's over, who knows when the next one'll be."

Heyes laughed. "Seems I've heard those words before! Enough excitement to last a few days, huh?"

Kid's eyes widened in wonderment. "Aw, Heyes, it was real nerve-rackin', but when I saw that baby's head start to come out … It was just … I don't know … It was …"

"That real authentic experience you wanted?"

Kid smiled, thoughtfully. "Didn't think of it that way. Maybe …"

"Let's go, Dr. Jones! Our coach awaits!" Heyes clapped Kid on the back.

Matching strides, they laughed as they headed to the stage depot.

*Mark Twain, _A Tramp Abroad._ Published 1880. In the public domain in the U.S.


End file.
